India Insights with Varun Haran

Fraud Management & Cybercrime , Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development

A Tribute to the Late Raimund Genes, CTO at Trend Micro

Anti-Virus Veteran, Inspiring and Passionate Thought Leader
A Tribute to the Late Raimund Genes, CTO at Trend Micro

The global information security community is mourning the death of Raimund Genes, CTO for Trend Micro, on March 24 at the age of 54. His insight, clarity, passion and wit will be missed.

See Also: Live Webinar | Navigating Identity Threats: Detection & Response Strategies for Modern Security Challenges

Eva Chen, CEO at Trend Micro, posted a moving tribute in a blog. "Raimund was an exceptional human being who possessed a passion for life and for the cybersecurity industry," he writes. "His sense of humor and straightforwardness motivated me each time we sat down for a conversation. He had an innate leadership quality that made people take notice of his vision and knowledge. When he spoke, he inspired people."

In Memoriam: Raimund Genes

The video above, posted along with the blog, celebrates some of the highlights of Raimund's career. He worked at Trend Micro for over 21 years and had about 30 years of industry experience.

Genes died of a heart attack at home in Germany. He is survived by his wife Martina, and two sons.

An Inspiring Thought Leader

I first met Raimund at the RSA Conference in Singapore in 2015 and was struck by his enthusiasm, his cheerful nature and his approachable demeanor. He was one of the keynotes at the conference that year, and I had the opportunity to speak to him at length. I appreciated the forthright and blunt manner in which he spoke of the challenges facing the security community (see: Moving Beyond the Buzzwords).

FUD and exaggeration were just not Raimund's style; he was a security leader who cut right to the heart of the matter. While he brought years of experience to bear, he was not weighed down by it and kept looking ahead, keeping things in context (see: Targeted Attacks Becoming the Norm).

Raimund had a nuanced and articulate approach to complex issues and ideas. His patience and cheerful nature made him a pleasure to interview. And there was a humbleness in his manner that was endearing, a rare trait among technology leaders I have spoken with over the years. His clarity on the fundamental issues facing security and his foresight always taught me something new (see: Why Choosing a Security Solution Is Getting Tougher).

In his presentations at industry events, he was an animated speaker - he would light up as he warmed to his subject and his manner drew his audience in.

Raimond's sincerity and passion was reflected in every conversation I had with him, and that was what made it so interesting to speak with him. He was one of my favorite people to talk to about security (see: Why Is Ransomware So Successful?).

We always chatted for a bit after each interview - and I sometimes used the opportunity to try my German on him, much to his amusement. My last chat with him ended with a warm 'Auf Wiedersehen' - which means till we see each other again. I am saddened that won't ever happen now, but I remain glad I had the chance to share ideas with him.

Here is a link to his last interview with ISMG at RSA 2017 in February.

A truly remarkable person, his thought leadership will be missed by the industry. Our sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and co-workers. May he rest in peace.



About the Author

Varun Haran

Varun Haran

Managing Director, Asia & Middle East, ISMG

Haran has been a technology journalist in the Indian market for over six years, covering the enterprise technology segment and specializing in information security. He has driven multiple industry events such as the India Computer Security Conferences (ICSC) and the first edition of the Ground Zero Summit 2013 during his stint at UBM. Prior to joining ISMG, Haran was first a reporter with TechTarget writing for SearchSecurity and SearchCIO; and later, correspondent with InformationWeek, where he covered enterprise technology-related topics for the CIO and IT practitioner.




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